Photoflash equipment for multiple flash



May 19, 1953 M. SCHWARTZ ETAL PHOTOFLASH EQUIPMENT FOR MULTIPLE FLASH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1950 INVENTORS h/IORRIS SCHWARTZ WI LIAM CASTEDELLO BY q ATTGRNEI Patented May 19, 1953 PHOTOFLASH EQUIPMENT FOR MULTIPLE FLASH Morris Schwartz and William Castedello, Plainville, Conn., assignors to The Kalart Company Inc., Plainville, Conn.

Application June 9, 1950, Serial N 0. 167,102

This invention relates to photoflash equipment, particularly to flash equipment and circuit systems for such equipment employing a plurality of flash bulbs which are to be simultaneously fired.

Multiple flash equipment of the general type, above referred to, is frequently used to illuminate a large area or to obtain a desired distribution of light. The manufacture of equipment of this type entails certain difficulties. Foremost among these are, to secure simultaneous firing of all the bulbs in synchronism with the shutter operation of the camera; to maintain a comparatively low weight of the entire equipment; and to avoid the necessity of frequently replacing the batteries usually employed as source of current.

With conventional equipment, the batteries are frequently discarded after relatively short use merely due to a slight drop of the initial voltage as a result of which the batteries are no longer capable of operating a solenoid and flashing a number of flash bulbs. In other words, the amount of energy in a standard battery is too critical to permit prolonged efficient service.

Accordingly, among the principal objects of the invention is to provide a multiple flash equipment which permits firing of all the bulbs at exactly the same time, which has a comparatively low weight, and which does not require a frequent replacement of the batteries.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple flash equipment of the general type, above referred to, which permits to hook up and fire simultaneously, within reasonable limits, any desired number of bulbs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple flash equipment that requires only a single battery or other source of current for firing a plurality of flash bulbs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circuit system for multiple flash equipment which greatly reduces drain from the battery thereby extending the life-time of the same.

Another important object of the invention, allied with the preceding one, is a circuit system in which a measured quantity of energy just sufficient for one energization of the system is transferred to a capacitance means from which it is discharged for the purpose of firing the flash bulbs. In other words, the entire energy of a battery is transferred in uniform doses to the capacitance means so that the energy of a battery can be used to a much higher degree than was hitherto possible.

Claims. (01. 67-31) Another object of the invention is to provide switch means for operating the multiple flash equipment which switch means are protected against being closed by an impact or jar thereby avoiding accidental firing of the flash bulbs.

Other and further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims forming part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing a now preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a typical circuit system for a multiple photofiash equipment according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of one of the flash units of the equipment, more particularly of the socalled master unit.

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary rear view of the master unit.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the switch means of the test circuit.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-43 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 'I-'l of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged bottom view of Fig. 3, the cover of the casing of the unit according to Fig. 3 being removed to show the parts housed within the casing.

Broadly speaking, the present invention relates to flash equipment of the type in which a plurality of photofiash bulbs are to be simultaneously fired by discharging a previously charged capacitor through the primers of the bulbs. The discharge of the capacitor is controlled by switch means the actuation of which is coupled with the.

operation of the shutter release means and the synchronizer or timing device, generally used in connection with flash work.

Referring now in detail first to Fig. 1, the circuit system according to this figure shows a D. C. source of current such as battery Ii] connected in a closed series circuit with a capacitor ll, contacts I2, the terminals l3 and [4 of a socket for a flash bulb [5, contacts l6 and I! which are shown open but for the time being shall be assumed to be closed by a switch member I8, and a high resistor l9. Battery I0 and resistor l9 are shunted by a by-pass circuit including a lead 20, a contact 2|, a contact 22, a movable core 23 of a relay 24, and a linkage system generally designated by 25. The capacitor H is shunted by a test circuit including a lead 26, a contact 2'1, a test bulb 28 shown as a light bulb of the flash light type, and a lead 29. The shunt circuits are both normally open and are assumed to be open for the time being. Contacts I2 are connected by contact elements 30 and 3|, wires 32 and 33, contact elements 34 and 35 to contacts 36 which are connected in series with the terminals 3i and 38' of a socket for a second photoflash bulb 3S, and contacts 40 andil which for the time being are assumed to be closed by a switch member 42 though shown open.

The coil of relay 24 is connected by leads 43 and fi l to a source of current shown as a battery t through the normally open contacts of a switch 56.

Battery 45 may be disposed in the casing of a camera and also serve to operate the camera shutter and other electrically operated devices associated with the camera. It may also be disposed in a, battery casing. The battery can be physically separated from the components of the flash assembly proper and be connected with the relay coil through wire connections. Switch 58 should be visualized as being electrically or mechanically coupled with the release means of the camera shutter and the synchronizer so that closing of switch 46 also effects tripping of the shutter and actuation of the synchronizer.

The voltage of a battery H], the resistance of resistor i9, and the capacitance of capacitor H must be selected in accordance with the requirements of a specific application. Practical tests have shown that in many instances a voltage of about 22 volts, a resistance value of 2500 ohms and a capacitance of 250 mi. give satisfactory results.

The function of the circuit system, as hereinbefore described, is as follows:

Let it be assumed that photoflash bulbs are inserted in the two sockets, that contacts [8, l1 and ill, ii respectively are closed, and that both the shunt circuits are open. Then, capacitor Ii will be charged from battery it, the high resistance value of resistor 19 preventing a short circuit of the battery and a discharge of the capacitor through the closed series circuit sufiicient to cause firing of the flash bulbs.

It will be noted that capacitor H can only be charged if all the circuit connections andalso fiash bulbs are in proper working condition by reason of the series connection of the entire circuit system. In order to test the condition of the circuit system, the test circuit is closed by moving the respective terminal of test bulb 28 into engagement with contact 2?. Closing of the test circuit causes capacitor II to discharge through the filament of the test bulb which will flash for a brief moment thereby indicating satisfactory condition of the main circuit. If desired, the test bulb can be flashed several times to make certain that the circuit system did not become defective with the capacitor still charged.

The circuit is now ready for firing of the photofiash bulbs. This is accomplished by closing switch is causing relay 2% to become energized. As will be evident, energization of the relay effects closing of contacts 21 and 22 by the attraction of core 23. Battery and resistor 19 are now short-circuited through lead 20, contacts 2 I, 22, and core 23. As a result, the capacitor will discharge through the primers of the flash bulb with a current flow sufficient to cause firing of the bulbs. I

In this connection it should be noted that the purpose of resistor 19 is merely to control the voltage and current conditions of thesystem and that the necessary resistance value of the system may be provided by any suitable means other than a separate resistor.

In the previous description, the flash assembly has been described as comprising a master unit including flash bulb I5 and the associated control components and one slave unit including flash bulb 39'. If it now be desired to add a second slave unit including a photoflash bulb 50, this unit is connected by a connector 5i having two contacts and leads 52 and 53 to the first slave unit.- As will be noted, the two contact elements engage contacts at and ll. The connector is so arranged that connection of connector 5| to contacts 40 and 1H forces switch member :12 into the open position (as shown on Fig. 1). The structural arrangement of the connector will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The second slave unit is identical with the first one in that its leads 52 and 53 are connected to a connector having contact elements 34 and 35 engaging contacts 36. Contacts 50 and 41 are again bridged by a normally closed switch member 42. As will be evident, flash bulb 5D and all the components of the second slave unit are connected in series between contacts 40 and M of the first slave unit and are, hence, in series with the entire system. Consequently, bulb 50 and the circuit connections thereof can be tested in the same manner as previously described and the flash bulb 5!. will also be fired by closing switch 46.

The chain of slave units can be continued. by connecting a third identical slave unit to contacts 40 and 4] of the second unit causing opening of switch member 42 thereof in the same manner as previously described.

A second slave chain can be connected to the master unit by connecting the first unit of the second chain to the contacts I B and I7 and opening switch member iii. The illustrated slave unit of the second chain is shown as comprising a photofiash bulb 5d.

As will be noted, the slave unit including bulb 54 is also connected in series with the entire system when contacts [6 and H are open.

If desired, contact connections for additional slave chains may be provided at the master unit.

Referring now to the structural arrangement of the master unit and the slave units, Fig. 2 shows a general view of the master unit electrically and mechanically connected to a camera 60. The master unit is exemplified as comprising a casing 6| closed at the bottom by a removable cover 62. The casing houses battery Ill, capacitor H, relay 2d, resistor 19 and the contacts and wire connections associated with the aforesaid components. The top of the casing supports a socket 63 for the photofiash. bulb and a socket p the test circuit. Socket 83 supports a reflector 65 and may or may not be equipped with a bulb ejector. For purpose of mechanically and electrically connecting the master unit to the camera, a contact shoe 6.6 is secured to casing bottom 62. This shoe constitutes one terminal. The second terminal is formed by a spring supported contact pin 67 insulated from the contact shoe by an insulation sleeve 68. Terminals 66 and. 6! are connected to leads 43 and it of Fig. 1. The contact shoe and pin 61 fit and engage corresponding guide tracks and contacts on the camera casing 60 to establish connection with battery 45' and switch 46. It will, of course, be understood that head of a battery case and that the contact connections between the master unit and battery 45 can be established by any other suitable connecting means.

Socket 54 of the test bulb comprises an insulation sleeve secured to casing 6| by any suitable means such as a screw II which also forms the center terminal of the socket. Sleeve I0 houses a metal sleeve I2 having slots I3 giving sleeve I2 a certain springiness. One of the slots is engaged by a screw 14 to retain sleeve 12 within sleeve I0 against the action of a metal spring 15. This spring abuts with its upper end against sleeve 12 and is connected to wire 29. As a result, sleeve I2 forms the second terminal of the socket. As will be evident, a test bulb 28 received frictionally in sleeve I2 is biased into the position shown in Fig. 4. By axial downward pressure exerted upon the globe of the bulb, the base terminal I6 thereof can be moved into contact with center terminal II thereby closing the test circuit across the electrodes of capacitor II, Upon release of the bulb the same will snap back into the position shown in Fig. 4.

Socket 63 for photoflash bulb 39 is shown as having a metal body the upper portion of which forms the outer terminal for the flash bulb, as can best be seen on Fig. 2. The center terminal for the base terminal of the flash bulb is formed by a pin 80 disposed axially slidably in a metal sleeve 8| closed at the bottom and electrically insulated from the outer socket body by a sleeve 82. Contact pin 80 is biased into the position shown in Fig. '7 by a spring 83 abutting with its lower end against the bottom of sleeve 8| and v with its upper end against the bottom of a bore in pin 80. The pin is set off to form a shoulder 85 abutting against a constriction 85 of sleeve 8| to retain pin 80 within sleeve 8|.

For the purpose of forming the contacts and switches represented on Fig. 1 by numerals I2, I6 and I1, four female contact elements 81, 88, 89 and 90 are fitted into the socket body 63. All four contact elements comprise slotted sleeves adapted to receive frictionally the male contact elements indicated on Fig. 1, for instance by numerals and 3I.

Contact element 81 is held in position by a screw 9| and is in direct electric contact with socket body 63 thus connecting the outer terminal of the socket with the circuit system. As will be appreciated, contact element 81 corresponds in effect to contact I6 of Fig. 1. Contact element 88 is held in position and electrically connected with sleeve 8| by a screw 92 thereby connecting the center terminal of the flash bulb socket to the circuit system. In other words, contact element 88 corresponds to the upper contact I2 of Fig. 1. Contact element 88 is insulated from the socket body 63 by an insulation sleeve 93 as is also screw 92. Contact element 89 corresponds to the lower contact I2 of Fig. 1 and is insulated from the socket body 63 by an insulation sleeve 94.

Contact element 90 corresponds to contact II of Fig. l, and is associated with the switch arrangement represented in Fig. l by the switch member I8. Contact element 90 comprises a slotted metal sleeve 95 which is insulated from socket body 63 by an insulation sleeve 96. Contact sleeve 95 is electrically connected with contact element 89. This connection is shown as a metal bar 91 secured to contact elements 89 and 90 by screws 98 and 99 also serving to hold these contact elements in position within their respective bores within socket body 83. Metal bar 97 is insulated from the socket body by insulation bushings I00 and NI.

In this connection it should be noted that in the master unit the electric connection between contact elements 89 and can and preferably is effected by wire connections rather than by the metal bar just described. The use of such metal bar is more advantageous for the slave units. However, for sake of simplicity of illustration, a metal bar has been shown since the features essential for the understanding of the invention are merely the electric connections of the contact elements.

As can best be seen on Figs. 5 and 6, a bore I02 for sleeves 95 and 96 is transversely extended through the entire socket body 63 and narrowed at the end opposite to the receiving end thereof. The narrowed end of bore I02 guides a metal pin I04 which is in electric contact with socket body 63 and has at its inner end preferably a pointed portion I05. A spring I05 abuts at one end against the narrow end of bore I02 and at the other end against a disc I01 fixed to pin I04. As a result, pin point I05 is biased into the position shown in Fig. 5 in which it engages sleeve 95. As a result, sleeve 95 is electrically connected with socket body 63 through pin I04. Disc I07 supports on its side facing sleeve 95 an insulation disc I08 which coacts with a U-shaped wire I09 axially slidable in grooves H0 in the outer wall of sleeve 95. The cross branch of this wire is adapted to be engaged by the contact pole II! of a male plug II2 inserted in sleeve 95. As can best be seen on Fig. 6, insertion of the plug displaces wire I09 and pin I04 so that point I05 of pin I04 is forced away from sleeve 95. In other words, contact element 90 and, hence, also contact element 89 are now disconnected from the socket terminal 53. Upon withdrawal of the plug, pin point I05 returns into engagement with sleeve 95.

Reverting now to Fig. 1, it will be appreciated that insertion of the two male pole elements of a plug into contact elements 8'! and 90 establishes circuit connections as are shown in Fig. l for theunits is that the latter do not have casing (it with the components housed therein. The sock-i et bodies 63 of the slave units can b supported in any suitable manner, for instance, the socket bodies may have a threaded hole with which the sockets can be screwed upon a tripod. The test bulb of test circuit is generally associated with, the master unit but it is also conceivable that it is physically associated with one of the slave units.

The arrangement of relay 24 and of the elements associated therewith within casing BI are clearly shown on Fig. 8. According to this figure, the coil of the relay is fastened to a metal frame II5 which in turn is mounted within housing GI. One end of core 23 which is axially slidable within the coil forms the contact 22 coacting with contact 2| supported by a spring 6 which in turn is secured to frame Il5 insulated therefrom by an insulation block I. The end of core 23 0pposite to contact point 22 is bifurcated to receive one arm of a two-arm lever II8 pivoted at II9 7" to frame H5. The other arm of lever H8 is pivoted to one end of a weight element i213. The other end of weight HE is attached to a loaded spring 121 which is also secured to frame it" by a hook IE2 or other suitable means.

The purpose of the arrangement, just described, is to prevent contacts 21 and 22 to engage each other accidentally as a result or an impact or jar causing core 23 to slide within the coil. As will be obvious, spring i2! is holding the core in a position in which the contacts are separated until th relay coil is energized by closing switch 46. A screw I23 serves to adjust the distance between contacts "2i and 22 and, hence, the period of time required for closing the release circuit for the flash bulbs after operation of switch lit.

While the invention has been described detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A photographic flash unit comprising a casing, a photofiash lamp socket and a reflector mounted on the casing, an incandescent test lamp supported by the casing and disposed for observation from the outside of the casing, contact terminals for inserting therebetween a source of direct current, a capacitance means and a resistance means disposed within the easing, said contact terminals, capacitance means and resistance means being connected in a series circuit including the lamp socket, normally open switch means on the casing connected with the capacitance means and the lamp socket in a series circuit icy-passing said terminals of the source of current and said resistance means for discharging the capacitance means across the lamp socket upon closing of the said switch means, and normally open test switch means on the casing operable from the outside of the casing and connecting the capacitance means and the test lamp in a series circuit for discharging the capacitance means through the test lamp upon closing the said test switch means thereby flashing the test lamp.

2. A photographic flash unit comprising a cas ing, a photoflash lamp socket and a reflector mounted on the casing, an incandescent test lamp supported by the casing and disposed for observation from the outside of the casing, a source of direct current, a capacitance means and a resistance means disposed within the easing, said source of current, capacitance means and resistance means being connected in a series circuit including the lamp socket, normally open switch means on the casing connected with the capacitance means and the socket in a series circuit by-passing the source of current and. the resistance means for discharging the capacitance means across the lamp socket upon closing of the said switch contact means, and normally open test switch means on the casing operable from the outside of the casing and connecting the capacitance means and the test lamp in a serie circuit for discharging the capacitance means through the test lamp upon closing. the said test switch means thereby flashing the test lamp.

3. A flash unit as described in claim 1, wherein the said switch means in the test circuit comprise a pair or contacts spring-biased into a disengaged position, and wherein said test lamp is movably mounted in a position adjacent to said contacts for moving the same into engagement by a displacement of the test lamp.

4. A flash unit as described in claim 3, wherein one of the said contacts of the switch means is socket-shaped and adapted to receive the base terminal of the test lamp, the other of said contacts being stationarily mounted in a position facing the other terminal of the test lamp inserted in said socket-shaped contact, the said socket-shaped contact being slideably mounted, and wherein spring means bias the said socket contact into a position in which said stationary contact is separated from the respective test lamp terminal.

,5. A flash unit as described in claim 1, wherein the said switch means in the test circuit comprise an insulation sleeve mounted on said casing on the outside thereof, a contact terminal disposed at the bottom of said insulation sleeve, a metal socket shell for receiving therein the base of the test lamp disposed axially slideable in said insulation sleeve, loaded spring means within said insulation sleeve and biasing the said socket shell into a position in which the bottom terminal of a lamp base inserted in the socket shell is disengaged from the bottom terminal in said insulation sleeve, and retaining means on the insulation sleeve and coacting with the socket shell for retaining the latter within the insulation sleeve against the action of said spring means.

MORRIS SCHWARTZ. WILLIAM CASTEDE-LLO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,632,788 Diener June 21, 1927 2,144,873 Dimond Jan. 24, 1 .939 2,272,102 Wildman Feb. 3, 1942 2,391,611 Back Dec. 25, 1945' 2,467,591 Lidteldt et al Apr. 19, 1949 2,496,680 Schwartz Feb. *7, 1950 2,584,858 Fritz Feb. 5, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES A New Way for Firing Flashbulbs, appearing in June 1948 issue of American Photography, page 373. 

